ROLE OF THE HEMOBIOLOGIST IN THE DEFECTIO N AND THE PREVENTION OF POSTTRANSFUSIONAL HEPATITIS

To prevent post-transfusional hepatitis B and C, two epidemiologic stu dies were performed The first, based on the frequencies distribution o f hepatitis B virus serological markers versus sex and classes of age, has permitted the accessment to the profile of infection in a populat ion composed of 573 north vietnamese blood donors. There is no signifi cant difference between men and women frequencies of HBs antigen (11,5 %), anti-HBs antibody (70,2%) and anti-HBe antibody atone (3,8%), but a significant difference of no-marker frequencies: 7,8% and 17,9% in m en and women respectively (X-2=9,11; p=0,010). The percentage of no-ma rker decreases when the mean age of each class increases. The second, using the increase of the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) activi ty as an indirect marker of non-A, non-B hepatitis for determining in a population of more than 25 000 parisian blood donors, the percentage of donors eliminated. They are between 0,70 and 0,76 in women and 2,2 6 and 2,46 in men. These investigations can be applied to prevent the hepatitis B transmission in a population of 102 south vietnamese women in age to procreate or to determine the percentage of blood donors el iminated (3,12%) in a population of 2 950 parisians composed in majori ty (50,9%) of new donors. The hemobiologist will have an important rol e to elaborate strategies for orientation of blood gifts with hepatiti s B and C virus markers.